Testing system



R. S. WILBUR. l 'TESTING SYSTEM. -APPLICATION- FILED DEC 28. '1918.

1,396,800. l .Patented Nov. 15,1921.

,Hay www UNITED STATES RAY s. Winnunpor LYNnnuRsT, ivnW JERSEY, ses f- Erreur lorries. i

fireman nnncfrnrc .,coMrANY, INCORPORATED, ory new YORK, N. Y., A, cotation, new ironia.

` riescano srsrnar. I

1,396,800. S'pwiaen'ofwters riant anni.

Application filed December 28, 191.8. to'rial No. 268;?d4.

T all w kom t may concern.'

Be Ait known that I, RAY S. WILBUR, a

citizen' of the United States, residing at Lvndhurst, in the county of Bergen, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Testing Sys y tenis, of which the following is a full, clear,

concise, and `enact description.

vThis invention relates to electrical testing systems and more particularly to systems for testing and ad]ust1ng apparat-us used in sig naling over telephone line circuits.

In connection with some telephone lines it it desirable to employ signaling currents of one character suitable for transmission over the line from a distant station and to provide at the receiving station a relay-or other means responsive thereto for translating such current into current suitablefor oper* ating the signaling apparat-us at the receiving station.

linasmuch as the translating means must vbe responsive `to incoming current of the proper character irrespective of normal variations in the electrical characteristicsl of the associated line, it is desirable to provide means for quickly and readily testing the operation of such translating means in order that any necessary adjustment may be made to insure its response under any usual operating conditions. 4

lt is the object of this invention to yprovide an improved system for testing the operation of such translatingr means.

To att-ain this nbiect.v ir. accordance with .a feature of the invention, switching means` is provided so that such relays may be removed from their associated line circuits and subjected to electrical conditions simulating those under which the relay should respond, the operation of such relay in response thereto being indicated by suitable signaling means.

This` and other objects not speciically mentioned above will more clear v appear from the following specification and the an nexed drawing in which the figure shows diagrammatically oneembodiment of the invention.

Inthe accompanying drawing, a -relay 3 in series with a condenser 4 is normally connected -to the line conductors 1 and 2, through the normally closed tip and ring cont-acts, respectively, of a control jack 5. The grounded normal contact of such relay is also normally connected to the `Winding of a relay G through a local contact of 'jack 5, thereby maintaining relay 6 in an operated condition. The line conductors 1 and are also'normally continued to the winding a drop?. and suitable means such as the usual jack may be associated with the drop mit connection to be made with tlievli" cuit. A relay 9, controlled by relay ti, is p vided for interrupting the continuity of" line conductors and connecting a` sou signaling current to the portions of sucn line conductors which lead to the drop 7. Resist ances 10` to 1.5, inclusive, are associated with the tip and ring contacts of plug 16 to fo in an artificial line circuit which mav be varied by the sliunting of resistance upon the actuation of key 17. source of signaling current 19, corresponding in character `to that at the distant station of the line, isprovided and may be connected to the artificial line upon the actuation of either of keys 17 and 18. A relay 21. similar to relay 6, is associated with the sleeve contact of plug 16 to replace the latter mentioned relay upon the engagement of the plug with the jack 5. A. signaling lamp 20 is controlled by relays 21 titl and 22 and keys 17 and 18 to indicate the operation of relay 3 under the testing conditions.

It is thought that the invention mayb more fully comprehended from the following description of operation of the embodiment shown.

Upon the receipt of an incoming call, signaling current similar to that produced by the source of current 19 Hows over the line conductor 2 from the distant statiomthrough the normally closed ring contact of control jack 5, condenser Il. the winding of `relay 3, the normally closed tip contact of jack 5, the line conductor 1. and returnsto the distant station. Relay 3 operates and, by opening ts normal Contact. releases normally operated relay 6, thereby completing the circuit and causing the operation of relay 9. The opening of the normal contacts of relay 9 removes the conductors leading to the drop 7 from'their normal association with the line conductors 1 and 2, and the closure of the alternate contacts of such relay causes the operation of the drop over a circuit.

established from the source of signaling cur the left-hand alternate contact of relay 9 to ground. v

When it is desired to test the operation of relay 3, plug 16 is inserted into the -control jack 5, whereupon by the opening of by the simultaneous closure of the alternate local cont-act o f jack 5. However, relay 21 replaces relay 6 in its'association with relay 3 and is'A operated over a circuit established from battery, through the winding-of relay v21, the sleeve contactsof plug\16 and jack 5,

' and the contact of relay 3 to ground. The

testing operator actuates key 18, therebyTA establishinga circuit from source of c'urrent 19, through the middle contact of key 18, rsistances 15 and 14, ringcontacts of plug 16 and jack 5, condenser 4, the winding of relay 3, the tip contacts of jack 5 and plug.

16, theresistances 10 and 11, and the upper contact of key 18 to ground. The artificial line including the circujt just traced and the y bridgethereacross, consistingof resistances 12 and 13, represents one condition of the line circuit under which'relay 3 should respond. If, therefore, such relay is correctly adjusted it will operate, and by the opening contact of relay 21 to ground'. Relay 22 in' operating, establishes a circuit-from battery,v

' of relay 22 and lamp 20 in parallel, and'.V

of its normal contact will release relay 21. Thereupon lamp 20 lights and relay 22 is operated over a circuit` established from battery, through the lower contact. ofkey 18, lamp 20 land relay 22 in parallel and the through'the contactv of relay 22 the winding the contact of relay 21 to ground. Therevfore, relay 22 is locked and lamp 2O` is l'maintained in a lighted condition,.under the direct control of relay 21 independently of the positionof key18. Thus, if relay 3 does not release upon the release of key 18, the continuation of the lighted A.condition lof lanip`20 indicates the improper adjustment of the contact'of relay 3. A lAfter relay v3 has been adjusted to properly respond under the control of key 18, the key 17 is actuated, thereupon completing a circuit from the source of current 19, through the lower middle contact of key 17, resistances 15 and 14, the ring contacts of plug 16 and jack 5, condenser 4, the winding of relay 3, the tip contacts of jack 5 and plug 16, resistances -10 and 11, and the upand relay 6 to their per contactv of key 17 to ground. It will be noted that the closuie of the upper middle contact of key 17 short-circuits resistance 12. thereby eliminating such resistance from the bridge across the artificial line. Relay 3 should also operate when associated with the modified artificial line including the circuit traced -aiid the bridge thereacross, consisting of resistance 13, since such artificial line simulates another set of electrical characteristics of the. line circuit which may be encountered in the normal operation of the telephone system. The closure of the lower contact ofkey 17 serves to complete a circuit for lamp 26 and relay 22, which is similar to that previously described in lconnection with the actuation of key 18, and the lamp 20 will be lighted in a similar manner if the relay being tested is properly adjusted.

Bela)v 3, when adjusted to operate and release properly in connection with both of the two artificial lines, shoif' furrtion in a proper manner under the u.v al ,lei-ating conditions of-the line circuit, since the artificial lines are so proportioned that they represent the extremes of thel conditions which may be encountered. When such adj ustment has been made, the removal of plug 16 from jack 5 restores relay condenser 4 normal association with the line circuit. -1

` It will be evident from the foregoing description' thatby means of this inrention thetranslating relay of the line circuit may be readily tested under conditions simulab ing those'encountered in the normal operation of the telephone system, definite indications being given relative -to whether it is properly adjusted to respond under lsuch conditions.

What is claimed is: V

1. A testing system, comprising electroresp'onsive means to be tested. a circuit controlled thereby, means for simulating the normal operating condition of such electroresponsive means, switching means for subjecting the electroresponsive means thereto, additional switching means for substituting another circuit for the first ment-icned circuitand for maintaining the first mentioned circuit normal, and signaling means controlled by the last mentioned circuit to indicate Vthe operation of the elcctroresponsive means.

2. A testing system comprising a relay to be tested, said relay being normally associated with a line circuit and maintaining a second relay in an operated condition, artificial lilies simulating conditions of the line circuit, switching means for removing the fiist mentioned relay from the line circuit and for selectively associating it with an artificial line, additional switching means coperating therewith for substituting a third" relay for the second relay and for, maintaining the second relay in an operatedcondition independently of the first relay,

further switching means for applying current to the selected artificial line to operate the first relay and thereby release the third relay, signaling means for indicating the release of the third relay, and a fourth relay also controlled by the release of the third relay to continue the indication when the third relay fails to reoperate upon the removal of the current from the artificial line.

3. A testing system comprising an electroresponsive means to be tested, a normally operated controlling device controlled thereby, means for simulating a normal operating condition yof said el'ectroresponsive means, switching means for subjecting said electroresponsive means thereto, al second signalcontrolling device, additional switching means for substituting said second signalcontrolling deviceV for said first-mentioned signal-controlling device, and for maintaining said 'first-mentioned signal controlling device operated independentl of the electroresponsive device, and signa ing means controlled by said second signal-controlling device to indicate the operation of said electroresponsive means.

4. A testing system comprising a relay to be tested, said relay being normally associated 4with a line cn'cuit and responsive to the vapplication to the line circuit of current of predetermined character for releasing a normally operated signal-control relay, an artificial line simulating a condition'of said line circuit, switching means for dis-associating said first-mentioned relay from said line circuit'and for associating said relay with said artificial line, said means also maintaining Vsaid second-mentioned relay energized independently of said first-mentioned relay, means for impressing current of said predetermined character upon the artificial line, and a signaling device associated with said first-mentioned relay by said switching means to indicate the operation of said firstmentioned relay in response to the current of the pre-determined character.

'In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 27th day of December A. D., 1918.

RAY S. VVILBUR. 

